Batukamma
Encyclopedia
Bathukamma is a spring festival celebrated by the Hindu women
of Telangana region
in Andhra Pradesh
, India
. It is also called as Bodemma. This festival falls in the months of September/October called as Ashvin or Aswiyuja. Bathukamma festival is celebrated for nine days during Durga Navratri. It starts on the day of Mahalaya Amavasya. It concludes two days before Dussera called as Durgashtami. On the final day, the closing ceremony of Bathukamma panduga is celebrated as a great festival – Pedda Bathukamma or Saddula Bathukamma.
Bathukamma is a beautiful flower stack, arranged with seasonal flowers, in seven concentric
layers, of potter’s clay like a cone
. Bathuku in Telugu
means live/life, and Amma means mother, hence Bathukamma, is celebrated for the glory, later denoted as Goddess Gauri
- the patron Goddess of womanhood.
Women celebrate the festival dressed-up in traditional silk sari
s, and wear jewellery
.
Women start preparing bathukamma from the afternoon. They cut the flowers leaving the little length base, some dip in colours, some scented and arrange them on a wide plate called as tambalamu, and stack them up in a conical mound, decorated with a pumpkin flower on top of the stack.
After singing and dancing around for hours, Bathukammas are taken to a lake or a pond and spend some more time singing and dancing and are set afloat in the water.
Lakes and water bodies floating with bathukammas in the evenings is a treat to the eyes.
Maleeda, a prasadam made of jaggery
, is prepared on this day and distributed at the end of the event. People wishing to watch Bathukamma festival being celebrated in its true sense and full glory must visit Warangal
on its last day i.e. 2 days before festival of Dussehra. Only women are allowed, and male companions must wait outside the festival grounds.
his wife gave birth to Princess Lakshmi. Baby Lakshmi survived many accidents. So, the parents named her Bathukamma (Bathuku = life, Amma= suffix to female names and mother). Since then Bathukamma festival is celebrated by young girls in Telangana region. The purpose of this festival is to pray to the Goddess in the belief that the young girls would get husbands as per their wish. Further, married women celebrate the festival to pray to the Goddess for good health and prosperity of their family. Flowers are arranged on a plate or square wooden plank or a square bamboo frame in a conical layout. On the top, gynecium of a pumpkin flower or a cone made of turmeric to represent Bathukamma is installed. This floral arrangement is worshipped as Goddess Bathukamma. This festival is mainly celebrated by unmarried young girls, though men and women also participate in collecting and arranging the flowers as Bathukamma.
The other being Bathukamma, as the daughter of the 'Chola' King 'Dharmangada' and 'Satyavati'. The king and queen lost their 100 sons in the battlefield and prayed to Goddess Lakshmi to be born in their house, as their child. Goddess Lakshmi heard their sincere prayers and chose to oblige them. When Lakshmi was born in the royal palace, all the sages came to bless her and they blessed her with immortality "Bathukamma or live forever".
Batakamma or 'Parvati', according to one legend, is a lover of flowers. Flowers are arranged on a square wooden plank or a square bamboo frame with the size of frames tapering off to form a pinnacle on top. They resemble the shape of a temple 'Gopura'. A lump of turmeric is kept on top of the flowers. This little floral mountain is worshipped as Goddess Batakamma.
Women mainly celebrate this festival, though men also participate in decorating and arranging the beautiful floral mounts of Batakamma. Young girls participate in large numbers.
This festival is celebrated with joy and gaiety. During these celebrations, there are dance performances, music, dramas and a variety of entertainments as thousands of tourists and locals too, flock to witness the happenings. 'Jataras' are also held during this month long celebrations.
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
of Telangana region
Telangana
Telangana is a region in the present state of Andhra Pradesh, India and formerly was part of Hyderabad state which was ruled by Nizam. It is bordered with the states of Maharashtra on the north and north-west, Karnataka on the west, Chattisgarh on the north-east and Orissa to the east...
in Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. It is also called as Bodemma. This festival falls in the months of September/October called as Ashvin or Aswiyuja. Bathukamma festival is celebrated for nine days during Durga Navratri. It starts on the day of Mahalaya Amavasya. It concludes two days before Dussera called as Durgashtami. On the final day, the closing ceremony of Bathukamma panduga is celebrated as a great festival – Pedda Bathukamma or Saddula Bathukamma.
Bathukamma is a beautiful flower stack, arranged with seasonal flowers, in seven concentric
Concentric
Concentric objects share the same center, axis or origin with one inside the other. Circles, tubes, cylindrical shafts, disks, and spheres may be concentric to one another...
layers, of potter’s clay like a cone
Cone (geometry)
A cone is an n-dimensional geometric shape that tapers smoothly from a base to a point called the apex or vertex. Formally, it is the solid figure formed by the locus of all straight line segments that join the apex to the base...
. Bathuku in Telugu
Telugu language
Telugu is a Central Dravidian language primarily spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, where it is an official language. It is also spoken in the neighbouring states of Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu...
means live/life, and Amma means mother, hence Bathukamma, is celebrated for the glory, later denoted as Goddess Gauri
Parvati
Parvati is a Hindu goddess. Parvati is Shakti, the wife of Shiva and the gentle aspect of Mahadevi, the Great Goddess...
- the patron Goddess of womanhood.
Women celebrate the festival dressed-up in traditional silk sari
Sari
A sari or sareeThe name of the garment in various regional languages include: , , , , , , , , , , , , , is a strip of unstitched cloth, worn by females, ranging from four to nine metres in length that is draped over the body in various styles. It is popular in India, Bangladesh, Nepal,...
s, and wear jewellery
Jewellery
Jewellery or jewelry is a form of personal adornment, such as brooches, rings, necklaces, earrings, and bracelets.With some exceptions, such as medical alert bracelets or military dog tags, jewellery normally differs from other items of personal adornment in that it has no other purpose than to...
.
Preparation
On this day, the men of the house go into the wild plains and gather flowers like gunuka , tangedi, lotus, alli, katla and teku, which bloom in this season in various vibrant colors all across the uncultivated and barren plains of the region.Women start preparing bathukamma from the afternoon. They cut the flowers leaving the little length base, some dip in colours, some scented and arrange them on a wide plate called as tambalamu, and stack them up in a conical mound, decorated with a pumpkin flower on top of the stack.
The ritual
In the evening, women gather in large numbers with their bathukammas in their locality, place them in the middle and dance around them, synchronizing steps and claps in unison, and singing soul stirring bathukamma folk songs.Saddula Bathukamma
This festival is celebrated for nine days and concludes on Durgastami. The main festival day is called Saddula Bathukamma. On this day they celebrate into the small hours before leaving their Bathukamma in water.Lakes and water bodies floating with bathukammas in the evenings is a treat to the eyes.
Jaggery
Jaggery is a traditional unrefined non-centrifugal whole cane sugar consumed in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean. It is a concentrated product of cane juice without separation of the molasses and crystals, and can vary from golden brown to dark brown in color...
, is prepared on this day and distributed at the end of the event. People wishing to watch Bathukamma festival being celebrated in its true sense and full glory must visit Warangal
Warangal
Warangal is a city and a municipal corporation in Warangal district in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Warangal is located northeast of the state capital of Hyderabad and is the administrative headquarters of Warangal District. This district is a combination of three cities: Warangal,...
on its last day i.e. 2 days before festival of Dussehra. Only women are allowed, and male companions must wait outside the festival grounds.
Myth
Once upon a time King Dharmangada of Chola Dynasty used to rule South India. After many prayers and rituals,his wife gave birth to Princess Lakshmi. Baby Lakshmi survived many accidents. So, the parents named her Bathukamma (Bathuku = life, Amma= suffix to female names and mother). Since then Bathukamma festival is celebrated by young girls in Telangana region. The purpose of this festival is to pray to the Goddess in the belief that the young girls would get husbands as per their wish. Further, married women celebrate the festival to pray to the Goddess for good health and prosperity of their family. Flowers are arranged on a plate or square wooden plank or a square bamboo frame in a conical layout. On the top, gynecium of a pumpkin flower or a cone made of turmeric to represent Bathukamma is installed. This floral arrangement is worshipped as Goddess Bathukamma. This festival is mainly celebrated by unmarried young girls, though men and women also participate in collecting and arranging the flowers as Bathukamma.
Other Stories
There are many myths behind this festival. According to one myth Goddess Gauri killed 'Mahishasura' the demon after a fierce fight. After this act, she went to sleep on the 'Aswayuja Padyami' day, due to fatigue. The devotees prayed to her to wake up, and she woke up on the Dasami (also spelt as "Dashmi) day.The other being Bathukamma, as the daughter of the 'Chola' King 'Dharmangada' and 'Satyavati'. The king and queen lost their 100 sons in the battlefield and prayed to Goddess Lakshmi to be born in their house, as their child. Goddess Lakshmi heard their sincere prayers and chose to oblige them. When Lakshmi was born in the royal palace, all the sages came to bless her and they blessed her with immortality "Bathukamma or live forever".
Batakamma or 'Parvati', according to one legend, is a lover of flowers. Flowers are arranged on a square wooden plank or a square bamboo frame with the size of frames tapering off to form a pinnacle on top. They resemble the shape of a temple 'Gopura'. A lump of turmeric is kept on top of the flowers. This little floral mountain is worshipped as Goddess Batakamma.
Women mainly celebrate this festival, though men also participate in decorating and arranging the beautiful floral mounts of Batakamma. Young girls participate in large numbers.
This festival is celebrated with joy and gaiety. During these celebrations, there are dance performances, music, dramas and a variety of entertainments as thousands of tourists and locals too, flock to witness the happenings. 'Jataras' are also held during this month long celebrations.